How to Teach a Parrot Not to Shriek

Parrots can be wonderful pets, but they have an ear-piercing shriek that's enough to deafen anyone. Breaking your parrot of any bad habit starts with meeting their needs and establishing dominance over the bird. Teaching them not to shriek, or at least do it less, can be done with a lot of patience and understanding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Learn why parrots shriek. They do so in the jungle, particularly in the morning and evening, to call out to their flock. It's referred to as a contact call. When they do it in the home, they are calling out to you.
2. Call out to your bird when they shriek to let them know where you are. You've met their need to know that you heard them. If they continue to shriek, don't respond, as this will reinforce the screaming behavior you're trying to break. You have to set and maintain boundaries with your bird.
3. Realize that having a parrot is like having a perpetual 2-year old child. They have little sense of cause and effect and no sense of time. If you punish your parrot for shrieking by putting it in a room by itself or covering the cage, the bird has no idea why it's suddenly alone, and learns nothing from it. You may think he's learned something because he quieted down, but in truth it's the lack of stimulation that quieted him.
4. Know that you can't eliminate all contact calls. Owners who have the best relationship with their parrots realize they are wild animals and won't be as domesticated as a dog or cat. The best you can hope for is to lessen the behavior.